Sri Lanka extended their impressive winning streak against England since 2007, securing an 8-wicket victory in the 25th match of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 on Thursday, October 26, in Bangalore.


Before this encounter at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, both teams had clashed in the World Cup on 11 occasions, with England holding a 6-5 advantage in the head-to-head record. However, England had not managed to defeat Sri Lanka in the World Cup since the 1999 edition, when they won by eight wickets. They didn't face off in the 2003 edition, and in 2007, Sri Lanka won the match by two runs. In 2011 and 2015, Sri Lanka secured comprehensive victories over England, winning by 10 and nine wickets, respectively.


Both teams entered the Bangalore clash seeking to reverse their fortunes and secure a win to stay in contention for a semi-final spot in the 2023 ODI World Cup.


England's captain, Jos Buttler, won the toss and opted to bat first. However, England's batting performance was dismal, as they were dismissed for a mere 156 runs in just 33.2 overs, marking the lowest all-out total ever recorded at the Chinnaswamy stadium. Ben Stokes was the only batsman to surpass 40 runs, but his wicket fell in the 31st over, effectively ending England's hopes of posting a competitive total. Except for Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, who scored 30 runs, none of the English batsmen could stay at the crease for an extended period.


Sri Lanka, under the leadership of Kusal Mendis, made quick work of England's top and middle order, delivering a strong bowling performance. Angelo Matthews, in his first ODI of the ongoing World Cup 2023, took a couple of crucial wickets, significantly contributing to England's downfall.


Despite a shaky start, Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama forged a remarkable 137-run partnership that eventually led their team to victory and kept their World Cup 2023 campaign alive. England now faces an uphill battle to make it to the semi-finals and will square off against India, the only undefeated team in the tournament, in Lucknow on Sunday, October 29.